- Hi, I'm Jordan from Kettner Creative.
In this video we're gonna compare
the Shure SM58 dynamic microphone
to the Audio Technica AT2020 condenser microphone.
If you're new to audio recording,
or you're just getting started in your home studio,
you'll often be looking between these two microphones,
as to which you should buy first.
Maybe you already do have some other microphones
and you're looking to step up a little bit.
I would consider both of these entry-level microphones,
even though both of them are used on a worldwide stage
that in situations that are much beyond
what I would call entry level.
These are very popular microphones for a reason,
but we're gonna compare them,
we're gonna compare the specs.
You're gonna be able to hear either one of them.
And then I'm gonna give my recommendation
as to which I would recommend for you,
if you're looking to buy either one of these microphones.
Now, if you're looking for pricing or specs
for either one of these microphones,
the pricing does move sometimes
especially over the holiday season.
So we do have some links down in the description below
where you can see current up-to-date pricing,
at a variety of online retailers,
so please check those links out.
I think they will be helpful for you.
For the purposes of the video today,
we're using the SSL two plus audio interface.
Both microphones are going through that audio interface
and are being recorded by the laptop.
Just so you can tell which microphone
you're hearing at any given time,
we will put the meter on the screen,
and it'll show on the side of the screen
that the microphone is on.
So if you see the meter on the left side of the screen,
you know that you're listening to the Shure SM58.
And if you see the meter on the right side of the screen,
you know you're listening to
the Audio Technica AT2020 condenser microphone.
So to get started, let's quickly talk about
the specs of either microphone.
The Shure SM58 is a dynamic XLR microphone
with a Cardioid Polar Pattern.
It's a top address or end address microphone.
It has a frequency response of 50 Hertz to 15 kilohertz.
It has an impedance of 150 Ohms,
and a sensitivity of minus 57 dB.
It has a weight of .82 pounds or 371 grams.
The Audio-Technica AT2020 is a condenser microphone.
You can get this in both an XLR or a USB version.
The USB version just has a built in audio interface
on the bottom of the microphone.
It has a Cardioid Polar Pattern.
It's a side address microphone.
It has a frequency response of 20 Hertz to 20 kilohertz.
It has an impedance of a hundred Ohms.
It has a sensitivity of minus 37 dB.
It has a weight of .76 pounds or 345 grams.
When we look at the frequency response graphs
of these microphones,
if we look at the one for the Shure SM58,
you'll notice that it looks exactly
like you're taught to EQ a vocal mic.
If you're in live sound 101
or you're learning to EQ mics,
right at the very beginning of your audio career.
There's a high pass filter that rolls up
somewhere around a hundred Hertz.
There's a mid low cut around 400 Hertz
just to add a little bit of clarity.
And then there's a boost around three to five K
to add more vocal clarity.
And then there's a cut right after 10K
to drop off the other frequencies
that don't contribute much to the vocal range.
It's a pretty classic looking graph.
I think even when on the Yamaha TF,
they have this easy EQ button.
So if you can like one knob EQ a microphone,
you can tell the console that is a vocal mic.
You have one knob,
and that's basically the graph that it draws.
The same graph that's built into the Shure SM58.
It's accentuating exactly the right frequencies
that you want for a vocal mic
to stand out amongst other things,
and to clean it up a little bit
without making it sound too clean
or too notched out like some microphones do.
Now, when we look at the frequency response graph
of the Audio Technica AT2020,
we do see that the lows are pulled quite a bit lower
for a longer period of time.
We do see that the two and a half K
is a little bumped up compared to the 58.
And then we see that was air frequencies.
Those upper frequencies are really, really emboldened.
And that adds that extra brightness to the microphone
that you will notice when you're listening
to both of these microphones.
Now let's compare the bill quality of both microphones.
Let's start with the Shure SM58.
The Shure SM58 has an iconic handheld
dynamic look to it for a reason.
It's a classic microphone.
A lot of microphones are modeled after this microphone.
It has a long STEM because it is built
for live music applications as well.
This microphone was originally developed
as a studio microphone.
It later took off as a handheld dynamic for vocals
but just the design of it.
You can tell lends itself more to being live than studio.
It doesn't have a really great look for
in the studio or podcasting
compared to other microphones like that.
The end cap here does screw off the grill here.
And there is a built-in foam filter.
It's pretty light but it does
a pretty effective job at preventing plosives.
You can order this microphone
in a variety of colors as well.
If you are doing podcasting only,
I would suggest getting an additional
Foam Windscreen for it,
that will help a little bit more with plosives.
But like I said, this is an iconic microphone.
It's used on literally every stage in the world.
So it's pretty good at taking plosives,
but if you're doing just radio broadcast,
it doesn't hurt to throw an extra foam filter on as well.
In terms of mounting,
it does come with a classic Shure mic clip here,
and it just clips in and out pretty easy there.
You can get shock mounts for them,
from third-parties and Shure makes like a doughnut one
that you can slide it through
but it's really up to you.
I don't think it's too good to Shure SM58
does really good job at reducing handling noise.
So I don't highly recommend that you go
and get a shock mount in the same way
that I do other microphones.
Now, the Audio Technica AT2020 is all black design,
all metal design. It has a mesh grill.
A lot of people do mess up with this microphone
just in terms of where they're speaking and do it.
It is a side address microphone
so do make sure you're speaking
into the side of the microphone.
Don't speak into the top or the end of the microphone.
The cable just clips into the bottom here.
It comes with this hard mounted clip.
We generally recommend for the AT2020
that you do invest in an additional
shock mount for it as well.
We have found better results when we use ours,
and we also do recommend the additional
Foam Windscreen for it.
It is a lot more sensitive to plosives
than the something like the Shure SM58.
You really do hear,
when you get really close to it.
We'll do a test with it here in a minute,
just so you can hear how bad it is,
but we do recommend the optional windscreen for it.
Now, if you are recording a podcast or something like that,
it's common that you're gonna be typing
on a laptop while you're recording.
So we have some background noise tests here
just to simulate typical things
that you would encounter when you're recording.
So here's what it sounded like if you're typing,
on what I would describe as an average laptop keyboard,
while you're recording your podcast with the Shure SM58.
(keyboard clicking)
And this is what the Audio Technica AT2020
sounds like when you're typing
on what I would describe as an average keyboard.
(keyboard clicking)
If you're clicking a pen or writing notes or something,
this is what it would sound like with the Shure SM58.
(pen clicking)
If you're clicking a pen or taking notes or something,
this is what it would sound like
with the Audio Technica AT2020.
If you're shuffling paper or plastic,
this is what it would sound like with the Shure SM58.
If you're shuffling paper or plastic,
this is what it would sound like
with the Audio Technica AT2020.
This is what the Shure SM58 sounds like
when you're about a fist away from the microphone.
This is about the distance that I would recommend,
if you're recording a podcast
or something like that with this microphone.
If you're in a live sound situation,
generally it'll be much closer to your mouth.
It'll be right on your lip
or right on your chin or something like that.
But, if you're just recording a podcast,
this is much more comfortable,
and I think it sounds just as good.
If you do get too far back,
this microphone especially does start
to sound a little bit thin.
So keep that in mind as well.
This is what the Shure SM58 Sounds like
when you get inside the proximity zone,
of this microphone,
you will notice a much, much richer low end,
when you get really close to this microphone.
This is what it sounds like when you're about a fist away
from the Audio Technica AT2020.
And this is what it sounds like
when you get inside the proximity zone
of the Audio Technica AT2020.
Now, this is what it sounds like
when you do a plosive with the Shure SM58,
Plosive, plosive, plosive, plosive.
This is what it sounds like with the plosive
with the Audio Technica AT2020,
Plosive, plosive, plosive, plosive.
And now we're gonna do it with the wind screen.
And this is what it sounds like when you make a plosive
with the windscreen on,
with the Audio Technica AT 2020.
Plosive, plosive, plosive, plosive.
Okay, so we're done the testing now.
Now we got to talk about what I recommend,
which microphone would I recommend
for you in which situations?
So, let's start with the Shure SM58'
The 58, is a vocal microphones, vocal microphone.
It is the classic vocal microphone.
If you're recording, talking, head singing,
anything to do with voice,
this is the standard that all other microphones
are eventually compared to.
There are microphones that are better,
but this is the standard.
This is the baseline,
it's the reference point.
And when you're talking about two microphones
in the same price range,
if you're doing vocal only,
this is a strong candidate.
Not only is it a good vocal microphone,
but you can hammer a deck nail with it.
There's guys that take it up 40 foot man lifts,
drop it on concrete, plug it in, It still works.
They throw in the ocean,
they throw it in a fire,
it still works.
These things are insanely well built.
There's a ton of YouTube videos
of guys trying to destroy these things.
So, even if you do upgrade from this microphone later,
I still think that everybody should own a Shure SM58.
So you might as well get it,
as your first microphone
or when you're comparing microphones in this budget.
It's a really good microphone
and you will use it over and over and over'
There's entire albums,
that are recorded only what the Shure SM58.
So, in terms of an investment
and good value for your money,
you can't go wrong,
this microphone will outlive you.
That being said,
it's not the right microphone for every situation.
The Audio Technica AT2020,
for the same price range,
is a lot more flexible.
People do Mike instruments
in the studio all the time with 58's
and it's a brother, the 57,
which is a very very similar design.
But the Audio Technica At2020,
if you're wanting a condenser microphone
which is known for being more sensitive,
more articulate,
a little bit brighter, a little bit cleaner,
then that's what you're gonna get
with the Audio Technica AT2020.
You'll get a little bit more sibilance.
If you're in a studio recording a podcast,
those higher frequencies,
things like mouth noise really start to come out
with those brighter frequencies,
so you might notice that as well.
But this microphone will give you a different profile.
If your studio isn't treated,
if you're just dropping this microphone
in a random room and recording a podcast,
I would suggest that you get
a much better recording with the Shure SM58.
It has a lot better ambient noise rejection.
It rejects the types of sounds
that kind of reflect off of shiny surfaces like this table.
And we'll dial back the echo.
When I was doing like film recording,
I do, I used to do a lot of corporate film work.
I would take the Shure SM58 into a bar, standing room only.
It's like a packed after hours, corporate party thing.
And I'd record a bunch of questions for people.
In the room, it was so loud.
I could barely hear myself,
and hear the person I was interviewing.
I thought it was complete trash,
the client wanted me to do it anyway.
So I did it, recorded it just to make them happy.
Took it back to my hotel room,
and it is shocking.
If you have good mic placement,
like I was holding the microphone up
about this close to the guests,
as I was interviewing them going back and forth
for a corporate, kind of end of the day wrap up video,
it's shocking how clean this microphone,
pick their voice out of,
literally I was getting a headache
from being in the bar,
just it's packed standing room only.
So this microphone is insanely good
at removing background noise,
if you know how to point it and work with it,
The Audio Technica AT2020,
I don't think would fare that well in the same situation,
but it's not its strong point.
If you're recording more sensitive instruments,
if you're looking for a condenser microphone for symbols
or something that needs that clean, articulate,
crisp higher end recording,
the Audio Technica AT2020 is really good.
So, for me to say what's your first microphone,
for podcasting, for sure The SM 58.
Get this one it's way better on vocals.
But if it's like a first microphone
for overall studio producing,
you're making some beats,
you're recording other instruments
in your home studio or something like that,
it's a tough call.
The 58 would probably be a lot better
on things like guitar amps.
It has a higher SPL handling,
so you can put it on drums,
you can fake it on Tom Mic or Snare Mic,
things like that you could fake with this microphone.
I wouldn't quite recommend it,
for the Audio Technica.
But if you have more sensitive instruments,
like acoustic guitars or something like that
I would suggest that the Audio Technica AT2020
would do a better job of those.
So I'm hoping that, that gives you some guidance
if it's vocal only.
And if you're in the live sound game for a long time,
you gonna need a 58 anyway,
so you might as well get it first.
And then, but if vocal and podcasting
isn't really big to you,
and you're on, you're maybe a singer songwriter,
and you're wanting to do a lot more acoustic guitar work,
something like the AT2020
would probably be a better fit for you.
You could put one microphone
really strategically placed capture your vocal
and the acoustic guitar,
you'd probably be happier with the AT2020.
It lends itself more to that type of recording.
I hope this video is helpful.
If you have any questions
about anything that I've covered in this video,
please leave a comment down in the comments section below.
I love hearing back from you.
If you have any questions
or comments about our videos.
Again, if you do want pricing
or specs for anything that you see in this video,
we do have some links down in the description below.
And if you want to see more videos like this in the future,
please like, and subscribe.
Thank you for watching.
(upbeat music)